Takao - Autumn

Takao, a mountainous area northwest of Kyoto, is one of the city's premier autumn foliage destinations, with maple trees lining the Kiyotaki River gorge below the ancient Jingo-ji Temple. This woodblock print renders the valley at the peak of koyo season, when the maples turn brilliant shades of red and orange against the dark green of the surrounding cedar forest. Koichi positions the viewer within or above the gorge, capturing the layered depth of the valley as autumn color cascades down the steep hillsides. Takao has been celebrated in Japanese poetry and painting since the Heian period, and its autumn beauty is considered comparable to Arashiyama's despite its smaller scale. This is one of multiple Takao autumn prints in Koichi's catalog, each exploring a different compositional angle on the same beloved terrain.